Nevada Craps Out, Texas Grabs Pacquiao-Margarito Cash
By Michael Marley
Old pal Kevin Iole, over at Yahoo.com, wrote about how financially ravaged California threw money out the window in preparing for and holding that six hour State Athletic Commission hearing on the boxing license application of Antonio Margarito.
No doubt, the state ran up a big tab, shouldered completely by taxpayers, in its more than thorough examination of the Mexican boxer's situation.
But at least the CSAC was trying to establish a standard and send a message to any other fighter or trainer tempted to alter handwraps or gloves to gain an advantage during a bout.
Led by attorney Karen Chappelle, the Attorney General's office boxed the ears off Hollywood hotshot Daniel Petrocelli.
If Petrocelli KO'd Oj Simpson in that civil case, Chappelle was the victor on this matter.
If you were scoring at home, there were a couple of knockdown rounds which you had to score 10-8 in favor of the lawyer who Arum had previously compared (to her face) to a Nazi storm trooper.
Uncle Bob likes to exaggerate.
One has to wonder whether Arum will stick with Petrocelli and his firm, O'Melveny & Myers, as Manny Pacquiao's defamation case moves towards a possible trial.
Suffice to say, the huge, powerful law firm won't be highlight Margarito's result on its website.
Maybe Petrocelli will fare better in a courtroom than he did in front of the state boxing board.
Petrocelli, who had to be paid a seven figure fee by promoter Bob Arum, should've thrown in the towel long before the day of the hearing.
It was a crucial mistake for Margarito to stick to his story that he didn't know the handwraps (knuckle inserts) were tampered with.
Instead of every saying guilty as charged, Margarito stayed with guilty, I suppose, with an explanation, that being that evil trainer Javier Capetillo was acting without his knowledge or acquiescence.
The world and five of the six commissioners wanted Margarito to impale himself, to say I knew it was wrong then and I know it's wrong now and it won't happen again.
The world and five of the six wanted to hear the Tijuana scrapper apologize to his near victim, Sugar Shane Mosley, but he never did.
In fact, much of the time Margarito spoke, it came across as the old song, "I'm sorry, so sorry, that I or we got caught."
But I disgress. I zigged when I should've zagged.
Now Arum has Texas rubber stamping Margarito's application for $20.
Such a bargain!
So California holds its boxing banner high and Texas ignores it.
But what I really want to know is when Nevada became morally superior, at least in terms of boxing, than Texas?
The four Nevada boxing board members who voted to table Margarito's application and directed him back to California must take this one on the chin.
I'm not saying Manny Pacquiao-Margarito is any wonderful event but if it's held in Arlington, Tx., and not on The Strip, then the NSAC, with the exception of Chairperson Pat Lundvall, is responsible.
Their job is to bring big fights to the state, not to send them elsewhere.
As I recall, Nevada could have easily given Margarito a one off - meaning a single bout license - more or less a probation style ticket to fight Pacman.
Then, after that bout, Nevada could have reviewed Margarito's conduct.
Nevada is in similar, if not worse, money straits than California especially with all the home foreclosures in formerly booming Las Vegas.
Texas is grabbing the money but only because the NSAC rolled snake eyes.
Those hotel maids, those bartenders, those Vegas cab drivers, I am sure they all feel great knowing that their city and their state is the moral superior of Texas, at least in terms of who is allowed to commit legally permitted and sanctioned assault with boxing gloves.
I just don't think any of those working stiffs can spend that feeling.
But the four fat cats on the NSAC don't give a hoot, do they?